Instructor:  Professor Alexander B. Murphy, 173 Condon Hall, abmurphy@uoregon.edu

Office hours:  Thursdays, 1:30 - 3:00 or by appointment

Teaching Assistant:  Tom Ptak, 202 Condon Hall, tptak@uoregon.edu

Office hours: Mondays, 3:30 – 5:00 or by appointment

This course examines political patterns and processes from a geographical perspective.  We look at the political organization of territory in different parts of the world and examine the spatial relationships between political patterns and a variety of related phenomena, including resources, militarization, ethnicity, economic development, and policy making.

For undergraduates the requirements of the course are a map exercise (15% of the grade), a two-page book review of a novel by George Orwell (15% of the grade), two midterm exams (each worth 20% of the grade), and a five-page paper on a territorial conflict between nations or states (30% of the grade).  For graduate students the requirements are participation in a few extra discussion sections (10% of the grade), two midterm exams (each worth 20% of the grade) and a substantial term paper (50% of the grade).  Regular class attendance is expected, and the readings listed below should be completed before the lectures to which they are assigned.  Please note that assignments must be turned in on time.  Since you have ample warning of due dates, no extensions will be granted unless the circumstances are exceptional.

Many of the readings for the course are in article form and are available under the Course Documents tab in the Blackboard site for the class.  In addition we will all read J. Agnew, Making Political Geography (London: Arnold, 2002) [hereinafter Agnew], and undergraduates will be reading G. Orwell, Burmese Days (New York:  Harcourt, Brace, 1974). 

Everyone should respect the class as a place for learning, both for us individually and for everyone else.  Internet usage in class is distracting to other students and should be avoided.  Showing respect for your peers is absolutely essential to a good group learning process.  This includes tolerance of differing opinions, listening as well as talking, and refraining from personal attacks.  Violations of academic integrity, such as plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated (see http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guides/plagiarism/students/).  Suspected violations will be reported to the Director of Student Judicial Affairs.  If that office finds the student to be guilty of a violation, it may result in a grade of F for the course.

H1N1 Policy:  If you have a flu-like illness, you should avoid attending class until you are without fever for 24 hours (without the aid of fever-reducing medication).  To avoid infecting others you should also avoid close contact with others for seven days after the on-set of symptoms.  Class participation in such situations will continue via e-mail or other arrangements made by Professor Murphy for electronic contact. You should anticipate the possibility of an absence and assure that you have access to the Internet.  Regardless of a student's H1N1 status, students must complete the requirements of the course to receive a passing grade.   This includes attending classes (which includes attending “via e-mail or other arrangements” listed above) and taking the exams.  In the event that Professor Murphy becomes ill, a class or two may have to be canceled, but the Internet and Blackboard will be used to ensure the class continues.

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND REQUIRED READINGS:

September 30

            Introduction to the subject matter of the course

            Geographical perspectives on politics and political arrangements

            Pre-modern forms of political/territorial organization

            Reading:  Agnew, Chapter 1

Map exercise handed out on September 30

October 5 & 7

            Foundations of the modern state system

            The rise of the modern state and associated territorial ideas

                  (the concepts of sovereignty and the nation-state)

            Reading: Chapter 2 in Jones et al. (on Blackboard)

                           Chapter by Murphy, 1996 (on Blackboard)

October 12 & 14

            The diffusion of the nation-state idea

            Imperialism and colonialism

            Reading:    Orwell, Burmese Days (entire book)

*Map exercises due October 14

October 19 & 21

            Geographical approaches to the study of the state

            The importance of territory, resources, and internal spatial structure

            Reading:  Agnew, chapter 2

                                        Chapter 3 in J. Gottmann’s, The Significance of Territory, 1973 (on Blackboard)

October 26 & 28, and November 2 (first 30 minutes)

            Political territory, ethnicity, and nationalism

            Case Study: Belgium

            Reading: Article by Mikesell, 1983 (on Blackboard)

                           Article by Mikesell and Murphy, 1991 (on Blackboard)

                           Article by Murphy, 1993 (on Blackboard)

*Orwell Review due Oct. 26

Nov. 2 - FIRST MIDTERM EXAM (last 50 minutes of class)

November 4 and 9

            Geopolitics

            The nature and significance of international boundaries

            International territorial conflicts

            Reading: Agnew, chapters 3-4

Short paper assignment handed out on Nov. 4

November 11

            Ideological bases for the territorial extent of states

            Globalization and its impact on the state as a territorial entity

            Reading:  Chapter by Murphy, 2004 (on Blackboard)

November 16

            Case Study: Tibet/China in political geographic perspective (Tom Ptak)

         Reading: Anand, D. (2000) ‘(Re)Imagining Nationalism: Identity and Representation in the Tibetan Diaspora in South Asia’, Contemporary South Asia, 9 (3), 271-287 (on Blackboard)

November 18

            Suprastate patterns of political organization and influence

            The role of international organizations

            Reading:  Chapter by Marie Price, 1999 (on Blackboard)

November 23

            The political geography of localities

            Reading: Agnew, pp. 137-157 of Chapter 5

November 25

            Citizenship and policy making

            Environmental issues and concerns

            Readings:    Agnew, pp. 157-164 of Chapter 5

                              Article by Murphy and Hommel, in press (on Blackboard)

*Short paper due November 25, 2:00 pm

November 30

            The contemporary Middle East in political geographic perspective

            Reading: Article and two op-ed pieces by Murphy, 2002-2006 (on Blackboard)

December 2 (first 30 minutes)

            Contemporary Europe in political geographic perspective

            Whither political geography

            Reading: Agnew, Chapter 6

December 2 -  SECOND MIDTERM EXAM (50 minutes)